Tempest Brew Co

Scottish Borders

This globetrotting pair have brought their best all the way from New Zealand

  • As a chef, Gavin was obsessed with brewing beers that were as delicious and complex as his food.
  • Since they started brewing commercially in 2010 Tempest have been raking in the awards including Best IPA for Long White Cloud in the Scottish Beer Awards.
  • Tempest are an experimental bunch - they've even made a beer with oysters which they shucked by hand.

Tempest Brew Co's Location

Our adventure began when our founders, Scotsman Gavin and New Zealander Annika, met working in a brewpub in British Columbia at the end of the 90s. It was here they found their inspiration, with Gavin working as a chef and seeing the kind of beers being produced there that just didn't exist back home in Scotland. As he says, it was his 'wow, here we go' moment when he realised that he could be brewing beers that could be held to the same high standards as his food. With that, their journey took them half way across the world to New Zealand where they built a kit in their garage, and learned everything from scratch. It was there in that garage that Gavin first brewed our flagship pale ale Long White Cloud, inspired by the fresh, bold hops of the region. With Gavin's creative flair and sharp mind for flavour profiles, the beers were tasting great and that gave them the drive to go even further. Another round the world trip, and they were back in Gavin's homeland. They searched the length of the country to find the perfect home for their brewery, until they found a restaurant in Kelso with huge potential. A bit of a fixer upper, they poured their efforts into creating The Cobbles: a fantastic gastropub that fast gained a reputation for high quality food and a comfortable atmosphere. After three years in the kitchen, Gavin finally decided to just go ahead and start his brewery. He found a space in the old Kelso dairy, built an 800L kit, and founded Tempest Brewing Co in April 2010. He spent the majority of his time in the kitchen using his skills as a chef, and then whatever he could spare in his small brewery creating fresh, creative beers that reflected his passion for high quality beer. In February 2015, we moved to a 30HL brewery in Tweedbank, in the Scottish Borders. We got a bottling line, new tanks, new team members, and it's allowed us to continue doing what we do best. Using fresh ingredients, a passionate team, and endless creativity, we continue to carry on the adventure that Gavin and Annika started. They Tempest guys are thrilled to have been selected by the Angels as #topofthehops! You guys rock!